Customs issue

Customs declarations:

Ok I have never really received good info on this. My wife and I have come to Jamaica several times. We generally bring a few snack items such as candy and jerky for our trip there and back again. We also bring donations for the school and small gifts for the staff. Each time we have been told to declare nothing. However, the form asks if we are bringing in food, pharmaceuticals, or chemicals. While a small bag of pretzels/chips, candy, or jerky doesn’t feed much it is food. We also bring standard over the counter pharmaceuticals such as Tylenol, Benadryl, and cold meds which would seem to count as pharmaceuticals. We also bring sunscreen, makeup, and toiletries which are chemicals.

It seems unless you’re naked and have no luggage you need to declare something. However, 99% of people have “nothing to declare”. What is the point of asking if you have stuff if everyone declares “nothing to declare”? Are the Customs rules up for personal interpretations?

Has anyone declared? What did you tell them you had? What did they take from you, charge you, or do to you?

Almost every year we return to couples negri, I pack some snacks etc. in my suitcase. The very first time that I packed some food in my suitcase was two years ago. I too thought the proper thing to do was to declare the food items. So my husband and I got in the declare items line. The lady started asking me on what kind of food I had packed in my suitcase. I started telling her my list, almond butter, rice crackers, protein powder and some protein bars. She just smiled at me and told me that is fine but, I didn't have to declare them now or in the future. So now when we return, I do not delare any food items.

My thoughs on on Benedry and over the counter medication is that they probably don't have to be declared. I sure that there are plenty of us who pack a essential amount of over the counter medication in our suitcase when we travel out of the United States. My experience in traveling outside of the U.S. is that customs is mainly looking at the prescription medications. The small prescribed amount doesn't have to be declared but, it you get into a lot of prescribed mediction or maybe a lot of narcotics type of medication that this would have to mentioned. Again, this is just what I have heard in the past. I hope this helps you out.

They're not referring to personal items, they're referring to more of commercial quantities. However, keep in mind that insects, pathogens, and other organisms get passed around from country to country through just about anything from luggage to food to personal hygiene products. That being said, you still don't need to declare items for personal consumption, as long as it is in reasonable quantities. School supplies for others are fine, as long as you are not selling them.

Fresh fruits or vegetables, items for resale, large quantities for business or commercial use; these are what they are looking for. All your prepackaged food snacks or medications for personal use do not need to be listed. 99.99% of folks coming in on vacation will have nothing to claim, including items for donation to schools, etc. Don't sweat it, mark down "nothing to declare" and have a great trip.

They're not referring to personal items, they're referring to more of commercial quantities. However, keep in mind that insects, pathogens, and other organisms get passed around from country to country through just about anything from luggage to food to personal hygiene products. That being said, you still don't need to declare items for personal consumption, as long as it is in reasonable quantities. School supplies for others are fine, as long as you are not selling them.

Sorry to hijack the thread but I'm a bit confused. I have several prescriptions I am bringing. I plan on leaving them in the original Rx bottle in case there are any questions. Since these are a personal supply and not commercial quantity, do you have to declare them on the form and enter the "items to declare" line at customs?

Hi BigDaddy44, (love your user name BTW)
I also have several prescriptions that I bring with me to Jamaica, and since they are for personal use I don't declare them. I've never had an issue when entering or leaving Jamaica.

We are here now and have prescriptions too. We declared them and got into the declaration line. They sent us over to the non declaration line and they never even asked us about what we had. We breezed right through. My guess, they don't care about them as long as its not mass quantities

Sorry to hijack the thread but I'm a bit confused. I have several prescriptions I am bringing. I plan on leaving them in the original Rx bottle in case there are any questions. Since these are a personal supply and not commercial quantity, do you have to declare them on the form and enter the "items to declare" line at customs?

We went in September and I wasn't sure about the bran muffin I had brought along with me for snacking, So I declared it.. The lady asked me what the food item was I told her and she waved me through. No Worries Mon!

I have never declared a thing going into Jamaica or any of the other countries we have traveled to over the years. Never been asked anything by customs either. Must be lucky, but I think it is basically for re-selling more then personal use. We took school supplies this last trip and did not declare them either.

Thanks for the posts guys, I didn't even have to ask my question. I've made this trip several times and this time I'm needing to bring a small personal pharmacy since I have a few more personal issues than previously. I won't worry about declaring, thanks again.